In the garden this weekend

Tulipa 'Green Star': need more of this next year.

A lovely ivory-coloured daffodil from Janis Ruksans many years ago - the label is lost. It's always very late to flower.

Fritillaria graeca

Gentiana acaulis (Mrs Wayne's clone from Colesbourne) flowering happily in its pot.

At last I've been able to spend a decent amount of time in the my own garden, in more than decent weather, enjoying plants that are either established in the ground from planting last autumn, or still in pots, but also being able to get on with developing the garden.  With the main border dug and prepared I've been able to plant a lot of perennials, some from pots, but the majority were bare-rooted clumps. I was very fortunate in being able to leave the perennials I'd propagated last spring lined out in the vegetable patch at Colesbourne Park, so they established good root systems and made plenty of growth, while causing no bother to anyone. I brought them here in February and got them heeled in - this was the first chance I've had to move them. The long winter and dry weather have together delayed growth, so they were in perfect condition for lifting and replanting, with new roots emerging and the shoots beginning to get going. Comparing these plants with those that have been in pots there is no contest as to which are the better.

Part of the main border on Saturday: I have left some of the previous plantings in place.

A clump of Symphyotrichum ' Ochtendgloren', just beginning to get itself moving and perfect for replanting.

The border this evening.

 

It is lovely to have Philip back with me again, now occupying the aviary at the end of the border.



Lamprocapnos spectabilis 'Valentine is an amazing new introduction: it was one of the plants I shouldn't have bought last year, but I'm very glad I did.